Confirmation completes Christian initiation through the laying on of hands and anointing with chrism oil. It strengthens baptismal grace and obliges Catholics to publicly profess their faith. Though originally part of baptism, it separated over time and is now conferred by bishops upon adolescents to make them soldiers of Christ. Candidates prepare through acts of service, retreat, and regular Mass attendance before receiving the Holy Spirit's gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.

2. Nature
 Confirmation – it has been variously designated:
bebaiosis or confirmatio, a making fast or sure;
teleiosis or consummatio, a perfecting or
completing, as expressing its relation to baptism.
With reference to its effect it is the "Sacrament of the
Holy Ghost", the "Sacrament of the Seal"
(signaculum, sigillum, sphragis). From the external
rite it is known as the "imposition of hands"
(epithesischeiron), or as "anointing with chrism"
(unctio, chrismatio, chrisma, myron). The names at
present in use are, for the Western Church,
confirmatio, and for the Greek, to myron.

3. Confirmation
• is a sacrament in which the Holy Ghost is
given to those already baptized in order to
make them strong and perfect Christians
and soldiers of Jesus Christ. It builds on
what was begun in Baptism and what was
nourished in Holy Eucharist. It completes
the process of initiation into the Christian
community, and it matures the soul for the
work ahead.

4. BRIEF HISTORY OF CONFIRMATION
 Confirmation began as one and the same
sacrament as baptism. While it is true that
whole families were brought into the Church at
once (Acts 16:15, 31-34), at this time, adult
baptism was the norm. At the Easter
Vigil, deacons would baptize converts who
would then go immediately to their bishop, who
was present at the baptism, and the bishop
would confirm (i.e. acknowledge) their baptism.
With baptism complete, these neophytes were
brought to the Eucharistic table for the first time.

5. • 300s: As Christianity continued to grow,
bishops could no longer be at every baptism.
Instead, they would come later to confirm those
already baptized. We can already see a president
for this separation between baptism and
confirmation at the time of the Apostles (Acts
8:14-17). Eventually, confirmation and first
Eucharist became sacraments associated not
with infants but with older youths.
• 1000s: Confirmation and First Eucharist
became separate rites from each other.

6. • Early 1900s: Many Catholics, while having received
baptism, confirmation, and First Eucharist, were not
receiving Communion regularly. Pope Pius X moved First
Communion from after confirmation to around age seven.
This was done in hopes of instilling the habit of regular
Communion from an early age, and today many Catholics
do receive Eucharist regularly. Thus, First Communion now
normally precedes confirmation.
• Late 1900s: The RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of
Adults, revives the original sacramental order. Since RCIA
candidates are confirmed at the Easter Vigil, the bishop
appoints delegates, parish pastors, to confirm in his
absence, for he cannot be at all of the parishes in a
diocese in one evening. Outside of the RCIA, the Church
typically still follows the order recommended by Pope Pius X.

8. Luke 2:25 “Now there was a man in
Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and
this man was righteous and
devout, looking for the consolation of
Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
John 1:33 . . . “He on whom you see the
Spirit descends and remain…
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .
and many more…

9. Matter
 Chrism - For olive-oil, being of its own nature rich,
diffusive, and abiding, is fitted to represent the
copious outpouring of sacramental grace, while
balsam, which gives forth most agreeable and
fragrant odours, typifies the innate sweetness of
Christian virtue. Oil also gives strength and
suppleness to the limbs, while balsam preserves
from corruption. Thus anointing with chrism aptly
signifies that fullness of grace and spiritual strength
by which we are enabled to resist the contagion of
sin and produce the sweet flowers of virtue.

10. Form
•During the anointing with
chrism, the bishop says, “Be
sealed with the gift of the Holy
Spirit.”

11. MINISTER
Bishop - Each bishop is a successor
to the apostles, upon whom the Holy
Spirit descended at Pentecost—the
first Confirmation.

12. The faithful are obliged to receive this
sacrament at the appropriate time; their
parents and shepherds of souls,
especially pastors, are to see to it that the
faithful are properly instructed to receive
it and approach the sacrament at the
appropriate time.

13. • Select a sponsor. Sponsors will share
this sacramental time with
you. Sponsors need to be: over 18,
Confirmed Catholic, not a parent.
• Complete 4 Acts of Service (2 in parish
life, 2 in community life)
• Attend the Confirmation Retreat.

14. • Participate in Mass each week and turn
in attendance envelopes.
• Attendance at all Confirmation sessions
is essential and required. These dates
are listed on the calendar. If a candidate
must miss a session, make-up work will
need to be completed.
• A Candidate must be baptized Catholic
or have been received into the Catholic
Church.

15. • Candidates must have been enrolled in
either a Catholic High School or a parish
Religious Education Program in their
freshmen and sophomore year prior to
entering immediate preparation for
Confirmation.
• Candidates must freely choose to receive
the Sacrament of Confirmation.

16. EffectsConfirmation imparts:
• an increase of sanctifying grace which makes the recipient a
"perfect Christian";
• a special sacramental grace consisting in the seven gifts of the
Holy Ghost and notably in the strength and courage to confess
boldly the name of Christ;
• an indelible character by reason of which the sacrament cannot
be received again by the same person.
• A further consequence is the spiritual relationship which the
person confirming and the sponsor contract with the recipient
and with the recipient's parents. This relationship constitutes a
diriment impediment to marriage. It does not arise between the
minister of the sacrament and the sponsor nor between the
sponsors themselves.

17. You stand or kneel before the bishop.
Your sponsor lays one hand on your shoulder and speaks
your confirmation name.
The bishop anoints you by using chrism to make the Sign of
the Cross on your forehead while saying your Confirmation
name and “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” You
respond, “Amen.”
The bishop then says, “Peace be with you.” You respond,
“And with your spirit” or “And also with you.”
Rite

18. Photos of Confirmation